It's the most iconic film franchise in the mafia genre and is credited with establishing the 'gangster' movie as a legitimate, serious, and award-worthy type of film. The Godfather trilogy, which comprises Part I (1972), Part II (1974), and Part III (1990), has been enormously influential, having been copied, paid homage to, and extensively parodied throughout film and TV media. Its significance is such that it cannot be understated. Parts I and II are considered, either as one work or as separate films, to be among the best ever created.
Yet for fans of the Francis Ford Coppola franchise, things are complicated. Many disagree strongly about aspects of the films, which chronicle Michael Corleone's ascension to family crime boss following the death of his father, Vito. Fans and movie buffs alike, though they all agree in the trilogy's greatness, often disagree over certain aspects of the crime franchise.
6 Many Disagree Over Whether Part Three Is 'Good'
The third installment of the series is generally considered the weakest. But is this to say it's a 'bad' movie? Well, fans disagree heavily over this. While some feel it is the equal of parts one and two, with similarly great acting, direction, and scripting, others feel it is a disappointing epilogue to the initial films, and suffers because of a heavily reduced budget and the lack of Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen, who many fans feel was instrumental in the earlier movies, and would have held together part three.
5 Some Think The Trilogy Is Overrated
While anyone who has seen the Godfather movies can attest that they are good films, some fans disagree over just how great they are.
The first and second films are regularly described as great movies, but there are fans who think this is an exaggeration. The argument here is that critics are confusing greatness with influence. The films may be important, but have aged badly, and have been surpassed by many other directors in the crime genre since, such as Scorsese.
Other fans stick by their guns, maintaining the Godfather trilogy is undeniably great.
4 They Fight Over Whether It Is The Best Film Ever Made
Counting parts I and II as a single film in two parts, many consider it to be hands-down the greatest movie ever produced - considering its acting, plotline, music, and number of iconic, emotional moments to be insurpassable. Super fans of the movie wholeheartedly agree, believing they should have swept the Oscars when first released.
Others, however, though they think the movies are great, don't exactly think they are the best ever made, and think a big part of this is Part III letting the series down.
3 Fans Disagree Over The Part Three Director's Cut
Last year, Coppola released a director's cut of Part III entitled ‘The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone’, which attempted to rework the rather disappointing original release cut from 1990. While some feel this 'epilogue' elegantly reworks the original movie, successfully restructuring it to fit Coppola's vision better, others feel it was a pointless exercise which did little to revive the third installment in many fans' eyes.
2 There Is Disagreement About The Role Of Women In The Movie
While many women feature in the three movies, often offering moralising voices, such as Michael's girlfriend and wife Kay, many fans think that women are largely sidelined in the movies, and are denied a voice in the violent world of mafia dealings.
Others, however, feel there is rather too much female presence in the film, or that the trilogy at least does not require women. Mafia politics are a traditionally masculine space, so naturally women exist on the perimeter. Many fans have also criticised Kay's presence in the final installment, finding her an irritating and unneccessary force.
1 They Disagree Over Marlon Brando's Performance, And Sofia Coppola's
While many fans consider Marlon Brando's performance as Don Vito Corleone to be amongst the best in modern cinema, others beg to differ. For the role, the iconic actor won the Best Actor Oscar (though he rejected the award), and it was extremely well-received, with fans calling it one of the highlights of his career. Others, however, found his interpretation of the fearsome mafia boss to be overrated, deciding that his overly-husky voice, and the addition of cotton balls into his cheeks, made him look less frightening and 'more like a chipmunk' - impossible to take seriously.
Sofia Coppola, daughter of father Francis Ford - the director of all three movies - has come under a large degree of criticism for her role in Part III. Many fans have criticised her lack of emotion, unintentionally-funny death scene (sorry, spoilers), and weak delivery of dialogue. Many fans feel her to be a bad choice, and woefully unprepared for the key role of Mary in the movie.
Other fans disagree, however, claiming Sofia's performance is solid enough - but only appears 'bad' because she features in scenes against seasoned, and very talented actors such as Al Pacino. Placed side-by-side with such greats, Sofia naturally appears weak.
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